Anisodontea plant named ‘Elegant Lady’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Anisodontea  plant named ‘Elegant Lady’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; tri-lobed leaves; freely flowering habit; and large light purple-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Anisodontea scabrosa×Anisodontea elegans cultivar Elegant Lady.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anisodontea, botanically known as Anisodontea scabrosa×Anisodontea elegans, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Elegant Lady’.

The new Anisodontea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in George, South Africa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Anisodontea cultivars with large and colorful flowers.

The new Anisodontea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in George, South Africa Mexico in September, 1999, of an unnamed selection of Anisodontea scabrosa, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with an unnamed selection of Anisodontea elegans, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Elegant Lady was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in George, South Africa in August, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Anisodontea by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in George, South Africa since November, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Anisodontea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Elegant Lady has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Elegant Lady’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Elegant Lady’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Tri-lobed leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large light purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Anisodontea differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anisodontea have larger and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Anisodontea and the female parent selection         differ in leaf shape.     -   3. Plants of the new Anisodontea have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Anisodontea and the female parent selection         differ in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Anisodontea differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anisodontea and the male parent selection         differ in leaf shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Anisodontea have darker green-colored         leaves than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Anisodontea and the male parent selection         differ in flower coloration.

Compared to plants of other selections and cultivars of Anisodontea scabrosa and Anisodontea elegans known to the Inventor, plants of the new Anisodontea are more vigorous and have larger leaves and flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Anisodontea, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anisodontea.

The photographs at the top of the sheet comprise side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Elegant Lady’ grown in a container.

The photographs at the bottom of the sheet are close-up views of typical leaves and flowers of ‘Elegant Lady’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. during the spring and summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10 to 18° C. Plants were about eight weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Anisodontea scabrosa×Anisodontea elegans     cultivar Elegant Lady. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Unnamed selection of Anisodontea             scabrosa, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed selection of Anisodontea             elegans, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three to four weeks.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub. Upright and             somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; open plant form;             inverted triangle. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—About eight lateral branches per plant;             pinching enhances lateral branching.         -   Plant height.—About 78 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 65 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 75 cm. Diameter:             About 7 mm. Internode length: About 8 to 10 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color, younger stems: 146A. Color, older stems:             183A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 4.7 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Shape: Three-lobed with             deep sinuses. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Erose; deeply incised; undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Coarse; pubescent. Venation pattern: Palmate.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length:             About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.             Color, lower surface: 183A. Leaf stipules: Quantity: Two per             leaf. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape:             Elliptical. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A to 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged at leaf axils. Freely             flowering habit, about four to five flower buds, developing             and open flowers per node; more than 300 flowers develop per             plant. Flowers face upright or outwardly. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Flower appearance.—Large rounded flowers. Flowers             persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about seven to ten days on             the plant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 81B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that             are fused at base. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About             2.3 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Cordate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: 78C; towards the base, 155A;             venation, 78A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             78C to 78D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 7 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper             surface: 146B. Color, lower surface: 146A.         -   Bracts.—Appearance: About three in a single whorl. Length:             About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent. Color, upper surface: 146B. Color, lower surface:             146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 to 4 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 30 per             flower. Filament length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 90B. Amount of             pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 201A. Gynoecium: Quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm. Style length: About             1.1 cm. Style color: 62B. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm.             Stigma color: 57A. Ovary color: 155A. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Anisodontea have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from −4 to 38° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Anisodontea have not     been observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Anisodontea. 

1. A new and distinct Anisodontea plant named ‘Elegant Lady’, as illustrated and described. 